HEARD the one about the comedy night in the MPs' home? Nor had most of the audience who crammed into Ann and Alan Keen's Brentford house last weekend.

Comedians including Mark Thomas appeared at the event put on by squatters who took over the MPs' property in Brook Road South in the wake of the expenses scandal.

Left-wing comic Thomas described it as 'the most outrageous gig I have done' and was joined on stage by Wil Hodges and surrealist poet Attila the Stockbroker.

The 10 squatters took over the property last month after the Chronicle revealed that the MPs' home had been lying empty while they were claiming it was their 'main home'.

The Keens have begun legal action in order to take back control of the house and have applied for an Interim Possession Order. The application will be heard in court on Friday.

Mr Keen, who represents Feltham and Heston, and Mrs Keen, who represents Brentford and Isleworth, said they have found the occupation by the squatters 'extremely upsetting'.

They moved out for work to begin on a loft extension, but it stalled after a dispute with builders in October and the property has since been neglected. There are missing floors, half-built walls and no running water.

They are currently living in their luxury £650,000 Thamesside home, which has been bought with the help of £140,000 claimed on expenses over the last four years.

If their bid to evict the squatters is successful, they expect to restart work on the property within a fortnight. Mrs Keen said: “We have now been able to appoint a new company and we expect to commence the completion of our home in the next couple of weeks.”

Andrew Dakers, who is due to stand for the Liberal Democrats against Mrs Keen at the next general election, organised a series of public meetings this week to debate the issue of MPs expenses but Mrs Keen declined her invitation.